Suffield Trivia Contest

The first Suffield Trivia published in the Observer in the December 2018 issue was an easy challenge for you because the answers were given. It will not be so easy this time. It’s a contest! You could be a winner! Send your answers by email to suffield350@gmail.com or by regular mail to the attention of Jackie Hemond at Kent Memorial Library, 61 Ffyler Place, Suffield 06078.

Babysitter Safety 101

The Parks and Recreation Department is offering an entry-level course intended to teach age appropriate skills necessary to care for children of all ages using team babysitting, mother’s helper and individual babysitting concepts. The course focuses on safety with emphasis on prevention. Basic first aid and obstructed airway management for a conscious choking adult/child and infant will be covered. Other topics include hand washing, diapering, bottle-feeding, personal safety, interview skills and many more topics. The course is four hours.

Highway Garage Plans Circle Back to Austin Street

For many years since the Laureno Stevenson Lumber Yard and fabrication shops on Ffyler Place closed, Suffield planners have been looking at the Town Highway Garage on the other side of the street with critical feelings. If the garage were gone, they felt, the desired commercial development of the 27-acre combined properties would become more likely, with good consequences for the town in land values, tax revenue, and convenient new services. So three years ago Town leaders proposed that the garage be relocated into an existing building on Austin Street which had been built for FEB Landscaping & Construction and was later owned by Moosehead Harvesting. The application for a $2-million state grant to help buy the building was approved by the Selectmen on January 6, 2016 and by the Board of Finance the following week. But the plan never went to town meeting, perhaps because a new possible location came into view.

Parks & Rec News

It is getting cold, it is getting darker out earlier and maybe you have been on your electronic gadgets too much. What is the solution? Sign up for some fun and exciting programs offered at the Parks and Recreation Department! There is a variety of programs offered for children-adult. Please visit our website at www.suffieldrec.com Below is partial listing of our upcoming programs.

For the pre-school age children and their caregivers, kick off the New Year right on January 7 with the Fun Family Fitness program that boasts keeping the family fit and healthy while developing gross motor skills with movement and music. The Children’s Fitness Squad program and The Speed Training Clinics will begin in January for elementary school children and both of these classes offer great cross training, strength and agility for all sports.

Scare-It-Up Suffield

“You’ve Got Friends,” the Friends of Suffield scarecrow exhibit in the Town’s Scare-It-Up Suffield event, held on October 20 at the Suffield Senior Center, won first prize in the “Spirit of Suffield” category.

Holiday Tree Gala Musical Performances

The Holiday Tree Gala on display at the Suffield Senior Center from December 1 to December 15 features not only beautiful trees decorated by people in the community but also musical groups. The hours are from 1 to 4 p.m. every day. The trees will be available for sale, with pickup on December 15. Proceeds from the sale benefit the Suffield Garden Club Scholarship fund. Come enjoy the singing voices of the Suffield Middle School Elite Voices group as they herald in the Holiday Tree Gala on opening day, Saturday, December 1 at 2 p.m. They are a very active and dedicated group of members from grades 6-8 Chorus, under the direction of Laura Noonan.

Free Service Creates Personal Calendar Feeds

The Town of Suffield announces the launch of a community events platform in partnership with Burbio.com. Burbio offers a free website iOS and Android app that organizes town happenings in one place. Residents select calendars to follow, create and sync a personalized feed to their Google or Apple calendar, and receive notifications of schedule changes. Streaming through Burbio is free for residents and nonprofits. The Burbio link can be found on the Town of Suffield website (www.suffieldct.gov/community/calendar).

Town Approves Temporary Safety Fix

On Tuesday, October 30, Galasso Materials began overlay paving/shimming and pothole repair of deteriorated areas on portions of Forest and Griffin Roads, two private roads in West Suffield. The undertaking followed safety concerns expressed relative to the condition of the roads and agreement by Town officials. The $47,273 project will be deducted from the Town’s Pavement Management and Drainage Funds, leaving under $100,000 for the remainder of the fiscal year. First Selectman Melissa M. Mack noted, “This measure assures safe passage for emergency vehicles and residents while determining a long-term plan to address private roads in a way that is equitable for all.”

Residents of Forest and Griffin Roads voiced complaints regarding poor roads overall, but highlighted rough areas marred by pot holes and extreme cracking, making portions of them difficult and unsafe for travel. The Town pointed to the key role neighborhood associations play in maintaining private roads, but acknowledged their difficulty to comply with and fund necessary upkeep.

Suffield 350th Tees

Celebrate Suffield with a green or red long-sleeved tee shirt! The Suffield 350th Committee will be selling tees for $15 at the Winter Farmers Market at the SHS Large Animal Facility on Saturday, December 1 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.